Arsène Lupin

Yours is Mine

A man who never failed to carry out a theft, not even once. That truth has been sublimated as a Noble Phantasm enacting the concept of an “absolute theft”—with the only prerequisite being that the target must know Lupin’s True Name before it can be used.    In planning his heists, Lupin made sure to follow a very detailed set of steps. The first, obviously, is to identify the exact target. The second is for him to question if the risk is worth the reward. The third is to plan out how he would do so, including the methods and tools he would need to employ. From that point on there are countless other steps, big and small, in order to ensure a successful theft...but this Noble Phantasm cuts right to the heart of the matter. It is the rewriting of World law according to a mere burglar’s whim so that he might commit the ultimate robbery. So long as he has a plan and the means to make it possible, it is decided that Lupin’s theft is “already a success,” so all he needs to do is open his hand...and in that palm that’s held so many other things thought untouchable, he will find exactly what he sought. The target need not even be something physical. If Lupin’s brilliant mind can conceive of a way to do so, then even the conceptual is a viable target. A Noble Phantasm of few limitations and infinite possibilities—a perfect reflection of the man himself. At the same time, too many options often leads to paralyzation. Er, never to Lupin, of course...but the fact remains. Being limited only by his own mind is a blessing and a curse.    Yet...should the robbery somehow fail, a fatal contradiction occurs. Arsène's thefts never failed, yet this Noble Phantasm's own failure would disprove that. This simple problem becomes a paradox. The World denies the idea that “Arsène Lupin failed” and instead decides that “this Servant is not Arsène Lupin,” causing the rapid degradation of his spirit core.    That being said, there are two ways to defend against Lupin’s Noble Phantasm. The first is to simply not allow it to happen at all—probably the easier option, all things considered. The alternative is to prepare a defense against Lupin that is so powerful, so complete, that not even this legendary thief could achieve his goal. But that’s easier said than done.

Man of a Thousand Faces

In all the stories surrounding him, Lupin’s always sported a different name and face, never sticking to one of either for very long. He’s a master of disguise, and this Noble Phantasm is declarative of that fact. Though Lupin’s disguises in life were the result of subterfuge and cunning, this ability is altogether different, allowing Lupin to completely transform in the blink of an eye (though this doesn’t include inhuman creatures or inanimate objects). But this Noble Phantasm is far more than just a superficial mask—every time he transforms, Lupin can completely obscure his status information, hiding the truth even from his own Master should he wish it. In this way, the true worth of Lupin’s Noble Phantasm reveals itself; Lupin’s ability to truly become someone new each time he takes the stage.    However, there is a single glaring weakness. If one deduces Lupin’s True Name and calls it out with absolute confidence, his transformation is immediately dispelled, and while he can still shapeshift in the presence of those that have seen through his act, Lupin’s status obfuscation does not work on such people. It’s a troublesome drawback, but not one that’s normally an issue...unless of course, Lupin happens to be dealing with an equally troublesome detective.